Cable and Satellite television reception is nearly ubiquitous in today""s modern home. In the usual arrangement, a cable box (viz, set-top box) or satellite signal receiver is coupled with an ordinary television set (or televisor).
Video cassette recorder (VCR) machines are nearly universal in the modern home. VCR-machines have several distinct operating modes which may be xe2x80x9cchangedxe2x80x9d by a remote controller. VCR-machines are typically hooked ahead of a televisor to provide playback of recorded tapes. Furthermore, they ordinarily include the equivalent of a televisor""s xe2x80x9cfront endxe2x80x9d components, e.g. a tuner and demodulator, which allows for off-the-air recording of television program content. Additionally, the television program received by the VCR-machine may re-modulate a subcarrier, usually centered on a locally vacant channel such as channel 3 or channel 4, and thenceforth couple the resulting signal with the televisor for viewable reception, either concurrent with recording of the program, or as a separate function.
DVD-machines have become popular for playback of pre-recorded digital video disk content. Similarly, DVD-machines may contain numerous features accessible through a remote controller.
At the present, digital video recorder (DVR) machines are beginning to make major inroads. The most common type affords up to 30 hours recording time on an internal hard disk drive. This class of machine is available from Panasonic and others and it is commonplace for most of the functions to be operable by a handheld remote controller.
Digital video disk recorders (DVDR) machines are also available which operate more like a VCR-machine, in that off-the-air programs may be recorded and played back, as well as offering to play-back prerecorded digital video disks, such as those offering motion picture presentations.
The primary betterment concerned with in this invention involves an ability for several pieces of equipment to operate in remotely controllable harmony with one-another. In principle, this means that there should be no erroneous unexpected command interaction between individual components of an overall equipment arrangement.
It is necessary to realize that the larger the number of pieces of equipment which are used together the greater the probability for some degree of random interaction becomes. Interaction may vary in extent. It may only affect the efficacity of a single command, or it may jam the entire remote interface. In particular, this potential interaction becomes an almost insurmountable problem when several similar devices are used together, such as the earlier mentioned xe2x80x9csame make and modelxe2x80x9d VCR-machines.
Recognize that it is often desirable to be able to use two or more similar VCR-machines or other devices in close combination. Duplicating video tapes is a popular and desirable cause for using two VCR-machines together. Video tapes arc often duplicated for private purposes, such as weddings, showers, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays so various family members can have their own personal copies. Other widespread uses for duplication include church services and amateur sports (e.g., high school football, etc.)
I realize that tape duplicators are available, which in essence are two VCR-machine mechanisms hooked up in tandem with shared electronics. However, from an economic point of view, it is generally far less expensive to acquire two or more VCR-machines than a single duplicator machine. Two separate machines are also more useful in the average household, because each individual machine can be used with separate televisors even in different parts of a home. When a recording duplication session is anticipated, they are simply xe2x80x9cbrought togetherxe2x80x9d for that purpose, after which they may again be placed elsewhere to service different televisors and different users. Furthermore, from an operational point of view, it makes more sense that the two VCR-machines be of the same type to avoid confusion in their usage.
The problem with using two of any xe2x80x9csame kindxe2x80x9d of remote controlled devices in close physical proximity is that the remote controller ordinarily utilized to operate them creates a command signal cross-talk between their individual control functions. In other words, commands sent to xe2x80x9conexe2x80x9d machine will cause similar effects on the xe2x80x9cotherxe2x80x9d machine. This is because devices of the xe2x80x9csame kindxe2x80x9d use essentially the same decoding instructions in response to the encoded commands sent by the remote controller.
In the past, I have been able to use two of the xe2x80x9csame kindxe2x80x9d of VCR-machines for tape duplication, etc. by placing the machines facing away from one-another, sort of back-to-back, where the remote controller signal beam is xe2x80x9cvisiblexe2x80x9d to only one machine at a time. I have enhanced this by placing a sheet of cardboard over the machines, sort of like an eyeshade, to limit a likelihood for a reflected beam erroneously reaching the unintended machine.
Several televisors are frequently used together in xe2x80x9csports barxe2x80x9d establishments. In practice, several televisors are variously mounted so as to be viewable by patrons in differing locations throughout the bar, saloon or restaurant establishment. Sometimes several televisors are used in immediate adjacency, each tuned to a xe2x80x9cdifferentxe2x80x9d sports channel to allow for differing customer tastes. In this setting, it is often desirable to utilize all xe2x80x9cthe same make and modelxe2x80x9d televisors for aesthetic reasons, if no other. As a result, the likelihood for randomly occurring command interaction is substantial.
While it certainly may be obvious that using two devices, such as VCR-machines or televisors, of the xe2x80x9csame make and modelxe2x80x9d together will give problems, this is not the only bothersome situation which may arise. It is not at all unusual for several dissimilar devices to be grouped and used together, such as with a cable box, a VCR-machine and a televisor. In this disparate setting it would be unusual for a remote controller to produce similar command response in any two of the devices. However, on the other hand it would not at all be unusual for the remote controller to cause xe2x80x9cinterferencexe2x80x9d and unwanted interaction and command errors to occur between devices.
Interference in the sense of its implications concerning devices used with this invention is most particularly described as the situation where the remote controller is used to send commands to a first device, and a second device is caused to have some undesirable level of random response to the command. The response may or may not be related to the intended instruction. In other words, if a remote controller is used to send a channel change instruction to a cable box to set it to channel xe2x80x9c57xe2x80x9d (for example), the same command may cause the input tuning of an associated televisor to randomly reset from channel xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d to channel xe2x80x9c17xe2x80x9d, or to introduce some other erratic change in operation of the televisor. Obviously, the reverse situation may be present where a command particularly sent to the televisor may cause some spontaneous corruption of the immediate cable box settings, such as channel selection or power-up state.
Having experienced this type of interference between devices, I realized that a novel provision for preemptively xe2x80x9cchangingxe2x80x9d the decoding pattern of one device relative with another would be advantageous. In other words, if cross-talk manifested as random command interference was experienced between two VCR machines or other devices (even of the same make and model), the best expedient would be to provide the user with a capability for introducing an alternate decoding instruction pattern to one or the other of the devices. In practice, such a change in the decode instruction data set could be altered by merely xe2x80x9cflippingxe2x80x9d a slide switch or the like on the back panel of the device. This slide switch may be embodied in a manner similar to the switch used for changing between channel 3 and channel 4 commonly located on the back panel of VCR machines and cable boxes. The difference is that in this case, the switch might be marked xe2x80x9cCODEAxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cCODEBxe2x80x9d, or equivalent.
An alternate decoding format data switch is proposed by my invention to be included in the remotely controlled device. This xe2x80x9cswitchxe2x80x9d feature is best included by a manufacturer in the original design of a VCR-machine or televisor. The advantage to the maker is that user complaints caused by random command interference between two or more clustered entertainment devices is minimized. Even if only one televisor or other device is equipped with the novel features of this invention, that alone may be sufficient to reduce or eliminate problems with interaction between the equipped device and a more primitive, unequipped device.
A particularly beneficial application for my invention is to be embodied in xe2x80x9ccable boxesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cset-top boxesxe2x80x9d. This occurs because this type of remotely controlled device must be compatible with the largest array of companion devices, such as televisors, VCR machines and so forth. Furthermore, in any region there is generally only one or a few possible cable box variations available. As a result, the desirability for fool-proof operation is more necessarily desired than what the case may otherwise be.
My invention generally pertains to televisors, cable boxes, satellite receivers, VCR-machines, DVR-machines and similar equipment ordinarily used in conjunction with a hand held remote controller for establishing their convenient operation. In particular, my invention benefits cable boxes, set-top boxes and satellite receivers to the greatest extent because these class devices must operate with the widest assortment of ancillary apparatus. Furthermore, no viable alternative xe2x80x9cmake and modelxe2x80x9d is readily available for replacing a cable box, set-top box or satellite receiver which is bothered by another device""s commands. My invention additionally pertains to wireless remote controllers of all types and in particular to portable or hand-held remote controllers commonly used for remotely entering the channel selection commands and other functional instructions into various interoperative combinations of televisors, VCR-machines, DVR-machines, satellite receivers, set-top boxes and cable boxes.
For purpose of this invention the term televisor refers generally to television receiving apparatus, sometimes called a xe2x80x9ctelevision setxe2x80x9d or, more simply, a xe2x80x9cTV setxe2x80x9d. Televisors are video displays having tunable inputs which may typically select any one of dozens of channels representing video signals modulated on a channel related carrier frequency. Normally the video signals include various categories of program content of interest to the viewer.
More particularly my invention applies to the combined use of several devices of similar or dissimilar make and model, where a command interference is experienced between the devices. For example, this includes where a command is sent to a televisor which causes a spontaneous effect on an associated device, such as a cable box or satellite receiver. It further includes the situation where a particular command sent to the televisor upsets the operation of an associated device by misinterpretation of the command intended for the televisor. In practice my invention directs itself to the problem of co-existing random acting command interference between any plurality of remotely controlled devices influenced by wireless commands originating from a common, or a shared or even several independently co-existent remote controllers.
The objectionable consequences of random interference between the remote control signals intended for independent recognition by separate remotely controlled devices is frequently encountered by users having numerous pieces of entertainment equipment operating in immediate proximity with each other. More problematic is the occurrence of this type of cross-talk command interference which occurs when both of the remotely controlled devices experience command corruption through mutual interference are committed to be operational at the same time.
Interference by the command signals can create an environment where concurrent remotely controlled entertainment device operation is impossible. An impasse is reached, which also results in a necessity for replacing one of the malfunctioning devices, or isolating the command signal path between the remote controller and each of the interfered-with entertainment devices. Neither of these xe2x80x9csolutionsxe2x80x9d are generally acceptable by the usual consumer-type user.
What I have achieved in my present invention is a new-found ability to operate the same make and even the same model equipment in immediate time concurrency and physical proximity without command interference. What I implement is an extension of present art infrared remote controllers to include at least two alternatively encoded command signals made available for any particular piece of remotely controlled equipment. Meanwhile, I also show that the remotely controlled equipment may be made singularly responsive to either one of the two (or more) alternatively encoded command signals. As a result, the remote controller and the remotely controlled device may be preset to present a different command signal signature for each of even the same make and model remotely controlled device. This resetting to an alternative, or non-standard, code set is accomplished by the owner or user of the equipment by merely flicking a slide switch or in some cases, moving or installing a presetable encoding state jumper.
Various arrangements for operating entertainment devices by remote control are known. In an accompanying U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,647 for xe2x80x9cIR Remote Control Systemxe2x80x9d inventors Collins et al depict a remote controller using a preset xe2x80x9chard-wiredxe2x80x9d encoding scheme adapted for xe2x80x9cgenerating a special code uniquely identifying the selected function, which code is transmitted as an infrared remote control signalxe2x80x9d. What is lacking in this arrangement and all subsequent art is a capability for changing the xe2x80x9cspecial codexe2x80x9d to another code pattern at both the remote controller and the remotely controlled device.
In practice, I have found it beneficial to change the remote controller code pattern to another non-interfering pattern when problems arise. I have found it practical to deliver a remotely controlled entertainment device having a decoder which may be presetably changed between an initial code scheme and an alternate code scheme by use of an user settable switch or, in a televisor, by picking an on-screen menu selection state.
An objective of my invention is to eliminate interference between any combination of several devices operated by a remote controller manifested by instructions directed to one device simultaneously introducing erroneous command activity in another device.
A key purpose for my invention is to enable the use of a plurality of similar or nearly-identical remotely controlled devices as a group, while maintaining distinctively separate and independent command operability from a shared remote controller.
A further goal is to provide for the use of at least two remotely controlled devices situated in physical adjacency without command signal interference causing false instructions in one device when the other device is addressed by the remote controller.
It is an important intent to provide the ability to concurrently use two substantially identical devices, such as two xe2x80x9csame make and modelxe2x80x9d VCR-machines, in an immediate group with the capability for addressing specific commands to either one of the machines in a functionally separate manner using a remote controller, without introducing operational error in the other machine.
It is a further intent to provide an alternate decoding instruction pattern in a remotely controlled device which may be intentionally preselected by a user to substantially reduce, if not eliminate, a likelihood for erroneous interpretation of encoded commands sent to another device by a remote controller.
Additionally, my invention intends that a user may variously establish alternate selections of remotely controlled devices decoding instruction patterns to thereby permit the use of multiple devices grouped in immediate proximity of one-another without experiencing an annoying and sometimes interruptive and erroneous response by one device to a command directed to another device by a remote controller.
My invention also proposes that a remote controller and a remotely controlled device may be preset to an alternate one of at least two distinctly different code data sets by a user accessible switch to thwart command interference introduced by wireless command signals originated from another unrelated device""s remote controller.
Lastly, my invention affords the user of the remote controller the capacity for casually entering individual digits composing a channel selection, or other command function, while holding the remote controller where the keypad is plainly visible. Once the entries have been satisfied, the remote controller is merely xe2x80x9caimedxe2x80x9d at the remotely controlled device and a SEND button is pressed, whereupon a rapid-fire sequence of command data is sent to submit the channel selection or other command.